Improvement in rotary engines



UNITED STATES PATENT QEEIc.

GEORGE T. ELLIS, OF OSWAYO, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF HIS RIGHTTO H. LORD, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN ROTARY ENGINES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 161,218, dated March2,3, 1875; application led January 26, 1875.

To all 'whom t may concer-n:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. ELLIS, of Oswayo, in the county of Potterand State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Rotary Engine 5 and I do hereby declare the following tobe a full and exact description of the same, reference .being had to theaccompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in Which-Figure 1 isatop-plan view; Fi g2, alon gitudinal vertical section; Fig.3, a vertical crosssection, showing the rear side of the stationarycenter D; Fig. 4, a horizontal section of the plug-valve, Fig. 5, avertical section of the same; Fig. 6, an end View of the parts thatsupport the engine-valve rods, and Fig. 7, a detached section, showingthe construction of the valves and valve-seats.

Similar letters of reference, in the accompanying drawings, denote thesame parts.

This invention has for its object to improve the construction of rotaryengines, and relates particularly to that class of rotary engines inwhich an annular steam-chamber or cylinder is made to rotate around theperiphery of a iixed circular disk.

The invention consists, first, in constructing said rotating cylinder inone piece to render it thoroughly steam-tight, and increase itsstrength; it consists, second, in au improved mode of packing the jointsbetween the rotating and the fixed parts 5 thirdly, in a newconstruction of the abutment; fourthly, in a new mode of packing theabutment; ifthly, in a new construction of the valve-seats to preventthe jarring and wearing of the valves when in operation; and, sixthly,in a new arrangement of the steam ports, passages, and valve, allsubstantially as I will now proceed to set fort-h.

In the drawings, Arepresents the engineshaft supported in suitablebearin gs in the bedplate or frame B of the engine. D represents astationary center or circular solid disk, bolted to a cross-beam, b, ofsaid frame, with the shaft passing through its center. O represents therevolving cylinder attached to and rotating the shaft, and provided witha heavy flange, c c, which embraces the periphery of the stationarycenter, and in the concave face 'of which is formed an annular groove orcavity that constitutes the steam-chamber of the engine. E representsthe abutment which is constructed independently of the center D andcylinder C, and is held in place by means of a pin, e, supported in ahole, e1, in the center D, by a screw e. G'G are the slidingengine-valves; g g1, the valvestems; g2 g2, guide-rods; H H', a circularj cam secured to the frame in any suitable manner, as by a bolt, i, andprovided with a circumferential groove, t, for operating the enginevalves; g3, a block attached to the valve-stein, carrying a piu whichprojects into the cam-groove h; H', a portion of the cam, madeadjustable in order to vary the width of the cam-groove to compensatefor the wear of the pins which work therein; I, a stout bar secured tothe outer end ofthe cylinder O, and provided with enlarged extremitiesin which are recesses to receive the enginevalves when they areretracted by the cam a, a packing-ring inserted in a rabbet around theouter edge of the stationary center, between the center and thesurrounding' cylinder, so as to bear against the shoulder of the rabbetand at the same time to rotate with the cylinder, to which it is securedby an embedded key or spline, t, having its end hooked into the cylinderor packing-ringso as not to work out; M, another ring, pressing againstthe inner ring n, as shown in Fig. 2; O O, stout springs, adjustablysecured to the cross-beam b, and pressing with great force against theouter ring M, whereby it presses the inner ring to a tight joint withthe shoulder of the xed center, and causes the joint to wear tighter thelonger the engine runs; P, another stout spring, supported by thebed-plate or frame, and bearing against a collar, p, ou the shaft A, bywhich it presses the face or circular end of the cylinder O rmly againstthe face of the stationary center, and causes the two faces to wear to atight joint; and R, a plug-valve, through which, by means of across-passage, r, the live steam is admitted from the pipe q2 to theports g or gl, accordingly as the valve is turned in one direction oranother, and through which, also, the

exhaust steam is allowed to escape by means of an exhaust-opening, r1,through the valve communicating with an annular groove, r2, around oneside of the valve, and a vertical recess, r3, in the side next to theports q q1, which, by turning the valve to let the live steam into oneport, is always brought into such a position as to open theexhaust-passage from the other port.

A piece of thin sheet or plate metal of suitable character is placedbehind the abut-- ment, as shown at s, and its ends are bent around thesides of the abutment, to hold it in position, for the purpose ofpacking the joint at that point, and preventing the escape of steamaround the abutment. One or more thin narrow strips of sheet or platemetal, v o, are inserted into grooves cut in the under side of theabutment, and in the convex surface of the fixed center, for the purposeof' further packing the abutment. The abutment rocks loosely on the pine, so as to adjust itself easily to the walls of the steamchamber, andavoid undue friction, wearing, or binding therein.

To prevent the rattling and jar of the valves G G as they play back andforth while the engine is at work, I cause them to slide in grooves madea little wider and higher than the valves themselves, and a littlelonger than the path traveled by the valves, so that they can slideeasily without undue friction, and so that the cam H H will arrest theirmovement before their ends strike against the walls of' the chamber inwhich they operate. The pressure of' the steam against their sides willset them against the sides of the grooves, so'

as to insure a perfectly tight joint, which will wear tighter the longerthe engine is used.

rIhe springs 0 are constructed in the form of the letter U, and placedover the crossbeam b, on each side of the shaft, with their endsabutting firmly against the ring M. A screw-bolt passing through theircenter into the cross-beam affords means for tightening them up, as maybe desired. By causing them to bear against the packing-ring atdifferent points, they hold it more rigidly and evenly in place. Thefront face of' the fixed center l) is made concave around the shaft A,as shown at w, so that the cylinder C will press more closely againstits lateral edges, and wear to a better joint.

The construction of the parts above referred to is as follows: Thecylinder G is east or constructed in a single piece, for purposes ofgreater strength, and to prevent leaking, and is placed on a lathe, anda recess or groove is cut in the concave face of' its ange c, to servethe purposes of' a steam-chamber. The abutment is then placed in thelower side of said steam-chamber, the pin c is dropped into the deeppin-hole in the fixed center, the fixed center is placed in position andturned bottom up to allow the pin e to drop into the hole provided forit in the abutment, the screw e2 is inserted to keep the pin inposition, and the fixed center is turned back to its proper position thepin or key t is inserted in the ring n, and both are placed in therabbeted recess between the edge of the flange c and the solid face ofthe fixed center; the outer ring M is placed upon the projecting end ofthe fixed center, the fixed center is bolted to the crossbeam b, and thesprings O O are secured and adjusted so that each bears upon the outerring, pressing it and the inner ring firmlyinto place, and making thejoint on that side of' the fixed center steam-tight. rlhe valves G G arethen inserted in their respective recesses, and the plate I is bolted tothe cylinder, the cam and connected parts being properly attached. Thespring P is then secured to the frame, so as to hold the cylindertightly against the fixed center, and make the joint steamtight on thatside. The plug-valve is inserted and secured by the screw at its lowerend, as shown in Fig. 2, and the engine is ready for operation.

I claim as my inventionl. A rotary engine having a revolving cylinder,G, constructed in one piece, combined with the fixed center D andindependent abutment E, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.p

2. In combination with the fixed center D and rotary cylinder O, theinner packing-ring n, working' in a rabbet of the fixed center, and theouter ring M, held against the inner one by adjustable springs O,substantially as described.

3. The combination of the independentabutment E, with the center D,secured by means of the pin ein the elongated recess c', substantiallyas and for the purpose described.

4. The independent abutment E, combined with the sheet or plate metalpacking s, applied around the rear wall and sides of the abutment inthecylinder G, substantially as described.

5. The independent abutment E, combined with the packing-strips c o,held in grooves or recesses in the proximate faces of' the abutment andcylinder, substantially as described, to prevent steam from passingunder the abutment.

6. The springs P, combined with the shaft A, the cylinder C, and thefixed center D, substantially as described, for the purpose specified.

7. rIhe plug-valve R, having the cross-way r, the circumferential recessr2, and vertical recess r3,- combined with the steam-pipe q2, exhaustrl, and ports or passages q ql, substantially as and for the purposesset forth.

8. The combination of the fixed part H and the adjustable plate El',composing the cam, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

GEORGE T. ELLIS. Witnesses:

M. CHURCH, L. HILL.

